Scamps calls for urgent action against diabetes
Independent Federal Member for Mackellar Dr Sophie Scamps has called on the Federal Government to urgently implement a proposed 20 per cent levy on sugar-sweetened beverages, as Australia wallows in a diabetes epidemic.
A House of Representatives (HOR) inquiry, into the State of Diabetes Mellitus in Australia in 2024, reported in June that the health costs of obesity and diabetes were of significant concern. Recommended actions included a sugar levy, restrictions on junk food advertising and food labelling reforms targeting added sugar. Dr Scamps has long campaigned on junk food advertising, and was a supplementary member of the inquiry committee.
The proposed 20 per cent levy on sugar-sweetened beverages would come into force in July 2025, and raise about $1.4 billion over two years.
“One quarter of all children and two-thirds of all adults in Australia are above the healthy weight range,” Dr Scamps told PL. “And 1.3 million people have Type 2 diabetes. These diseases lead to multiple and severe chronic illnesses such as kidney failure, strokes, blindness and amputation.
“With numbers like these we can no longer let the junk food sector blame the individual. Obesity and Type 2 diabetes are societal problems requiring a societal response.”
The HOR committee, which met for 12 months and held hearings around Australia, came up with 23 recommendations about both types of diabetes.
Dr Scamps said evidence from other countries had shown that a sugar levy ‘would encourage manufacturers to reformulate their products and lower their liability, delivering benefits to consumers’.
“It is important we catch up with many other nations and institute a sugar levy for sugar-sweetened beverages.”
Dr Scamps also wants urgent action restricting the marketing of unhealthy food to children, saying that ‘strong regulations’ were needed.
“We can no longer let our children be the target of predatory marketing by junk food companies,” said Dr Scamps. “Our children are bombarded online with targeted junk food advertising.”
Taxed beverages would include all non-alcoholic water-based drinks with added sugar, including soft drinks, cordials, energy drinks and fruit drinks. Milk-based beverages and 100 per cent pure fruit juices are excluded.